§AL-HAMZAH >THE GLOTTAL STOP= IN CLASSICAL ARABIC Solomon I. Sara, S.J. Georgetown University, USA ABSTRACT Writing about Classical Arabic dates around eighth century, there al-hamzah the glottal stop , with its own complex and varied distributional characteristics, is listed in the inventory of the phonological units . The most complete analysis of the glottal stop is that of S bawayh, in his al-Kit b the book , where one finds it described in its various mutations. S bawayh s description of the sounds of Arabic begins with the throat, proceeds through the pharynx to the oral cavity and ends at the lips. The glottal stop is the sound produced at the deepest extremity of the throat. In addition, he discusses the distribution of the glottal stop, with its phonotactical arrangements, which include seven states: a. Its full realization, b. Its partial realization, c. Its mutation with [A], d. Its mutation with [w], e. Its mutation with [j], f. Its deletion, and g. Its gemination/de-gemination. 1. INTRODUCTION In many modern Arabic dialects, the glottal stop has replaced the uvular stop [q], e.g. the Syrian dialect of Damascus;[7] qalam alam pencil ; faqiyr fa iyr poor ; awraq awra it leafed out . The period of the classical Arabic that is considered here is the second century of Hijrah, the eighth century by the Christian Calendar, and the place is Basrah, Iraq, where the linguists subjected Arabic to a rigorous scrutiny and formulated most of the rules and constraints describing its structure. Thus, the eighth century heralds the birth of Arabic linguistics as we know it. The Arab linguists of this period provide us with a substantial body of literature on the analysis of Arabic phonetics, syntax, and semantics. It is to their works that we turn in search of the state of Arabic of that time, and there we find the most thorough and illuminating analysis which shaped the approach of the Arab linguists in the future. In [9], S bawayh gives a detailed description of the sounds of Arabic in chapters 565-571, [12] (II:404:13ss, i.e. volume, page and line), respectively, which are : [ , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ] = [ , A, h, , , , x, k, q, , g, š, j, l, r, n, , d, t, , z, s, , ð, , f, b, m, w]. However, the locus classicus for the analysis of al-hamzah the glottal stop , is found in [9] chapter 411, in the middle of S bawayh s monumental work on Arabic, al-kit b the book , a treatise comprising 571 chapters spreading over 946 pages. 2. THE GLOTTAL STOP The glottal stop is one of the twenty nine letters of the Arabic sound system. S bawayh describes it phonetically as the farthest letter in the throat [12] (II: 405:5). He classifies it with the maghuwrah loud letters, [12] (II:405:16), i.e. [ , A, , , q, , g, y, l, r, n, , d, z, , ð, b, m, w], and with the maftuw ah open , which all the sounds except the four mu baqah covered letters, [12] (II:406:18), i.e. [ , , , ]. 3. OCCURRENCES OF THE GLOTTAL STOP The glottal stops occurs in a variety of contexts and displays a variety of phonetic realizations. [12] (II:163:20), e.g. la?uma he became blameworthy S bawayh accounts for its full realization, its weakening, its substitutions, and its deletion in the various contexts. In the following discussion, the original phrasing in the statement of the rules has been kept as much as possible. 3.1. full realization of the glottal stop. The glottal stop may be realized in any context or position. When it occurs initially, however, it is always mu fully realized in all the lu t dialects [12] (II:165:11), e.g. ar I see . It is also clear that the Arabs considered the glottal stop aqiyl a heavy articulation, so they made it less heavy by a process they called lightening . applied to any and all hamzahs that were not fully realized. was accomplished either by approximating it to its contexts so it became a bayna bayna an in-between sound, in the strictest sense, but also by the substitution , or by its aðf deletion . 3.2. page 1317 ICPhS99 San Francisco
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§AL-HAMZAH >THE GLOTTAL STOP = IN CLASSICAL ARABIC
Solomon I. Sara, S.J.Georgetown University, USA
ABSTRACT
Writing about Classical Arabic dates around eighth century, there§al-hamzah >the glottal stop=, with its own complex and varieddistributional characteristics, is listed in the inventory of thephonological units . The most complete analysis of the glottal stopis that of S§bawayh,[10] (762-793 A.D.) in his §al-Kit ~~b >the book=,where one finds it described in its various mutations. S§bawayh=s description of the sounds of Arabic begins with the throat, proceedsthrough the pharynx to the oral cavity and ends at the lips. Theglottal stop is the sound produced at the deepest extremity of thethroat. In addition, he discusses the distribution of the glottal stop,with its phonotactical arrangements, which include seven states: a.Its full realization, b. Its partial realization, c. Its mutation with [A],d. Its mutation with [w], e. Its mutation with [j], f. Its deletion, andg. Its gemination/de-gemination.
1. INTRODUCTIONIn many modern Arabic dialects, the glottal stop has replaced theuvular stop [q], e.g. the Syrian dialect of Damascus;[7] qalam ÷§alam >pencil=; faqiyr ÷ fa§iyr >poor=; §awraq ÷§awra§ >it leafedout=. The period of the classical Arabic that is considered here is thesecond century of Hijrah, the eighth century by the ChristianCalendar, and the place is Basrah, Iraq, where the linguists subjected Arabic to a rigorous scrutiny and formulated most of therules and constraints describing its structure. Thus, the eighthcentury heralds the birth of Arabic linguistics as we know it. TheArab linguists of this period provide us with a substantial body ofliterature on the analysis of Arabic phonetics, syntax, andsemantics. It is to their works that we turn in search of the state ofArabic of that time, and there we find the most thorough andilluminating analysis which shaped the approach of the Arablinguists in the future. In [9], S§bawayh gives a detailed description of the sounds ofArabic in chapters 565-571, [12] (II:404:13ss, i.e. volume, page andline), respectively, which are : [Æ, [, ¶, �, m, �, q, ¦, ¢, i, �, ¾, ª, y,
², �, u, a, �, {, }, �, w, e, �, ], ®, ¼] = [§, A, h, ̈ , £, g, x, k, q,
�, g, š, j, l, r, n, Û, d, t, Õ, z, s, p, ð, q, f, b, m, w]. However, the locusclassicus for the analysis of §al-hamzah >the glottal stop=, is found in[9] chapter 411, in the middle of S§bawayh=s monumental work onArabic, §al-kit~b >the book=, a treatise comprising 571 chaptersspreading over 946 pages.
As it stands, this is the earliest and most detailed analysis of
the glottal stop. The rules which he gives become explicit when
S§bawayh explains why certain changes occur in certain
environments. This can also be seen in the systematicity to which
he subjects this topic, whether through classifying members
according to shared features, into classes and super/sub-classes or
through general abstract statements about the language .
He is sensitive to the sources and never fails to give credit to
linguists with differing opinions and practices. Throughout his
work, he remains painstakingly faithful to facts and range of the
language data. In doing this, he follows his own independent
analysis of Arabic as he formulates his theory. Though he has a
great deal in common with his teachers, especially §al-Khal§l and
Yãnis [1] & [10], he is more exhaustive, more closely reasoned
and relentless in his search for linguistic verification by listing the
regular and the irregular forms in order to unravel the complexity
of the situation and ferret out the rules, patterns and constraints
that motivate them.
2. THE GLOTTAL STOPThe glottal stop is one of the twenty nine letters of the Arabicsound system. S§bawayh describes it phonetically as the farthestletter in the throat [12] (II: 405:5). He classifies it with themaghuwrah >loud= letters, [12] (II:405:16), i.e. [§, A, ̈ , g, q, �, g,y, l, r, n, Û, d, z, p, ð, b, m, w], and with the maftuw£ah >open=,which all the sounds except the four muÛbaqah >covered= letters,[12] (II:406:18), i.e. [ �, Û, Õ, p].
3. OCCURRENCES OF THE GLOTTAL STOPThe glottal stops occurs in a variety of contexts and displays avariety of phonetic realizations. [12] (II:163:20), e.g.qara§tu >I read=
ra§sun >a head=
sa§al >he asked=
la?uma >he became blameworthy=
bi§sa >evil=
S§bawayh accounts for its full realization, its weakening, itssubstitutions, and its deletion in the various contexts. In thefollowing discussion, the original phrasing in the statement of therules has been kept as much as possible.
3.1. §§al-ta££qijq >>the full realization == of the glottal stop.The glottal stop may be realized in any context or position. Whenit occurs initially, however, it is always mu£aqqaqah >fullyrealized= in all the lup~t >dialects= [12] (II:165:11), e.g. §ar~ >I see=. It is also clear that the Arabs considered the glottal stop �aqiyl >aheavy= articulation, so they made it less heavy by a process theycalled §al-taxfijf >lightening=. §al-taxfijf applied to any and allhamzahs that were not fully realized. §al-taxfijf was accomplished either by approximating it to its contexts so it became a baynabayna an >in-between= sound, in the strictest sense, but also by §al-
badal >the substitution=, or by its £aðf >deletion=.
3.2. §§al-taxfiyf >>lightening==, the realization of the glottal stop as
a bayna bayna >an in-between= sound.
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3.2.1. Every hamzah maftuw£ah, that is, open with a fat£ah >an
[a]= and preceded by a fat£ah >an [a]=, if you intend to lighten it,
you make it a transitional sound between the hamzah and the §alif
§al-s~kinah >the quiescent [A]=. {A bayna bayna hamzah is
indicated by [-§]}. [12] (II:163:23), e.g.
sa§ala ÷ sa-§ala >he asked=
qara§a ÷ qara-§a >he read=
It is less fully realized in the dialect of £ij~z, a western dialect,
than in the dialect of Baniy Tamiym, an eastern dialect.
3.2..2. If the hamzah is munkasirah >broken with an [i]= and
preceded by a fat£ah >an [a]=, it becomes a transitional sound
between the hamzah and the quiescent j~§. [12] (II:164:2),e.g.
ja§isa ÷ ja-§isa >he despaired=
sa§ima ÷ sa-§ima >he got bored=
qala §ibr~hiymu ÷ qala -§ibr~hiymu >Abraham said=
3.2.3. If the hamzah is ma�muwmah >closed with an [u]= and
preceded by a fat£ah >an [a]=, it becomes a transitional sound
between the hamzah and the quiescent w~w [w]. [12]
(II:164:2ss),e.g.
la§uma ÷ la-§uma >he became reprehensible=
3.2.4. If the hamzah is maksuwrah >broken with an [i]= and
preceded by a kasrah >[i]=, The hamzah approximates the [j].[12]
(II:164:7ss),e.g.
min ¨indi §ibilik ÷ min ¨indi -§ibilik >from your camels=
marta¨i §ibilik ÷ marta¨i -§ibilik >the pasture of your camels=
In the above cases, every hamzah approximates to its own
motion/vowel.
3.2.5. If the hamzah is ma�muwmah >closed with an [u]= and
preceded by a �ammah >[u]=or a kasrah >[i]=, it becomes an in-
between sound. [12] (II:164:8), e.g.
h~ð~ dirhamu§uxtik ÷ h~ð~ dirhamu-§uxtik Athis is your sister=s
dirham@
min ¨indi §ummik ÷ min ¨indi -§ummik Afrom your mother.@
Every hamzah preceded by an [a] approximates to its own
motion/vowel.
4. BADAL >>SUBSTITUTION== with, a j~ § [j] , a w~w [w], an
§alif [A]
4.1. Every hamzah that is maftuw£ah >open with an [a]= and is
preceded by a maksuwr >broken with an [i]=letter, tubdil >you
substituted = a j~ § [j] in its place when lightening it.[12]
(II:164:10),e.g.
mi§arun ÷ mijarun >enmities=
juriydu §an juqri§aka ÷ juqrijaka >he wants to convey to you...=
min pul~mi §abijka ÷ min pul~mi jabijka >from your father=s
servant=
4.2. If the hamzah is maftuw£ah >open with an [a]= and is preceded
by a �ammah, >an [u]=, you substitute the w~w [w] in its place. [12]
